Stainless steel ball arrived today so I can give it a go.

Used mine for the first time ditching the sink strainer and going for the sytemic tea strainer method and it worked a treat. For the first time I could actualy drink espresso without pulling a face resembling a bulldog chewing a wasp. Oh, because I am a bit OCD when it comes to keeping my coffee gear clean, rinsing the ball quickly and immediately under the tap after, meant it still looks as good as new and no discolouration. Popped back in the freezer for my next go.

Just out of interest…this seems to be something for drinking espresso. But, if I pull a shot using this method and then make say and Americano, will it also make difference?

Wouldn’t it be better if the steel ball was filled with a liquid that would change phase? More of the heat of the espresso would be taken away that way. Stainless steel is pretty bad at taking away heat.

All set up and ready for a split test but first of all I have to make sure I’m dialing the grind size correctly and for that I am being ably assisted by @MWJB

Once I’m more confident that I’m doing the grind size and the pour as best can be expected then I’ll run a split test and let you know impressions.

Two Stags? Now that’s just greedy!😁

I really do like that Paragon set-up though for pour over….but as I haven’t won the lottery here is my Heath Robinson version…




    Just bagged one courtesy eBay for just over half price. Still silly money but not totally silly.

    tompoland

    Tom do u know what is rhe reason the steel ball is removed after the first 20 or 50 per cent of the extraction is finished?

        chlorox the thoery seems because that’s when all/most of the “aromatics” are lost to the atmosphere and the ball has them stay in the liquid and therefore add to the flavor.

        If the coffee is left to flow over the ball after than it simply cools the liquid down unecessarily.

        The aromatics part seems to be well researched, or at least its promoted as such. The difference in flavor seems to be a benefit that’s notably omitted from the claims.

        I know, I know … color me skeptical but I’m still giving it a go. This weekend I move the espresso ball to the grinder lab and that will be the acid test for me. Can I consistently pick the espresso that was poured over the ball from the espresso that was not. Still tying to figure out how to account for the temperature drop from the ball espresso but it’s probably going to mean I have to pour the non-ball espresso a couple of minutes before. Testing times!

          2 months later

          Has anyone tried this with a hot ball/bearing, rather than a frozen ball?

          They’re doing this with whiskey now too